Bag-filling machine.



J. W. HOWARD.

BAG FILLING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUGJ. 191s.

Patented Nov. 7, 1916.

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J. W. HOWARD.

BAG FILLING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUGJ, 1915.

Patented Nov. 7, 1916.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2 7 ablozvuua MM/mm 00S which are adjustable JOHN W. HOWARD; 0F VALLEY FALLS, RHODE ISLAND.

BAG-FILLING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. '7, 1916.

Application filed August 7, 1915. Serial No. 44,181.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN V. HOWARD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Valley Falls, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented new and usefulImprovements in Bag-Filling Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention. relates to an improved bag filling machine, designed particularly for filling coal in a measured quantity into bags for storage or sale, but which may be used for filling other materials into bags or like receptacles.

The object of the invention is to provide a novel and simple construction of bag filling machine which is adapted to measure out a definite quantity of coal and fill the same into a bag or receptacle, and which is preferably operable by foot power.

A further object of the invention is to provide a bag filling machine having a discharge nozzle provided with cut-off and discharge valves, combined with means for alternately'and simultaneously opening and closing said valves, said nozzle being provided between the valves with a measuring chamber and being composed of sections to vary the distance between the valves and the capacity of said chamber.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a machine which will screen the coal of dust and very small particles, and which embodies .a valve mechanism which may beroperated .by a comparatively short actuating motion on the part of the operator or attendant.

The invention consists of the features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts herein fully described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a front elevation of a bag filling machine embodying my. invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section through the V hopper and nozzle .and showing. the valves;

in'filling position. Fig. 4 isa viewsiiriailar to Fig. 3 showing the valves in cl lt-lOfi- 'ilild discharge positions. Fig.5 is a vertical; front, to rear section on the line k4 of these slots and the opening 11, thus freeing the coal to 3 Fig. 6 is a sectional plan view on the line 5 5 of Fig. 3. Fig. 7 is asectional plan view on the line 6+6 of Fig. 3.

In the practical organization .of my lnventlon, I provide a suitable vertical support l, to-which is secured a hopper '2, preferably oftapered form and communieating at its upper rear portion with the outlet 3 of a coal pocket or storage reservoirs. The hopper is providedwith an outlet opening 5 communicating with an outlet or discharge tube 6, through which coal to be dispensed falls by gravity. The rear inclined or sloping wall 7 of the hopper 1s of a suitable construction to serve as a screen, said wall being shown in the present instance as provided with upper and lower slots 8 and 9, closed at the rear by a back plate 10 having a waste outlet 11. -.,The dust and small particles of coal pass through 9 and discharge through be bagged of all dust and very fine particles. Any other suitable screen construction for the purpose may be employed.

The outlet or d'scharge tube 6 of the hopper communicates with a discharge nozzle 12 which is formed by a pair of superposed telescoping collars or sleeves 13 and 14. The upper sleeve 13 is detachably fastened to the outlet or discharge tube 6 by bolts or other suitable fastening members 15, and said collar or sleeve is provided with a rectangular guideway 16 for a reciprocating cut-off valve 17, while the lower collar or sleeve 14 is provided with a similar guideway 18 for a reciprocating discharge valve 19. a

The two collars or sleeves cooperate to provide a measuring chamber 20 between the guideways 16 and 18, which chamber is designed to receive a measured amount of coal, sufficient, for instance, to fill a bag of any certain size. Lugs 21 and 22 are provided upon the respective collars, or. and these lugs are apertured for sleeves, the passage of headed vboltsq23 "equipped with retaining nuts 2%, whereby the .sleeves or collars are connected, the connections being of an adjustable.character tolpermit the collars or sleeves to be disposed to regu late the distance between the.- valve guides I and to therefore provide a measuring chamby the action of a semi-circular clamp 27,-

through'which'clamp and bracket bolts or other fastenings 28 are passed to detachably secure the clamping member 27 in position. By this means the hopper and nozzle will be firmly supported and braced, while at the same time provision is made for their rapid disconnection or the adjustment of the nozzle sections as occasion may require.

The valves 17 and 19 comprise horizontally movable oblong rectangular plates which are provided at their outer ends with elongated brackets or eyes 29 and 30, the elongated slots or openings of which slidably and pivotally engage pivot pins or screws 29 and 30 engaging the upper and lower ends of a rocker lever 31. This rocker lever is intermediately pivoted, asshown at 32, to an arm 33 projecting from a two-part attaching collar 34: secured to the nozzle by bolts 35, the construction beingsuch that the lever 31 will pivotally rock upon the pivot member 32 to alternately and simultaneously open and close the valves 1f7--and 19, a contractile retracting spring 36 being provided, and connecting" the lower arm of the rocker lever with its bracket support, whereby the parts of the valve mechanism are normally disposed in filling or cut-oft position. The rocker lever is provided with series of openings for the adjustable engagement of the several pivot bolts or screws therewith so as to compensate and provide for any adjustment of the parts as occasion may require in regulating the distance between the valves and the depth of the measuring chamber.

A guide pulley 37 is journaled upon the upper nozzle sleeve, and a similar pulley 38 is similarly mounted upon the support 1, and around these pulleys pass a chain or other flexible connection 39, said chain or connection being fastened at one end to the upper end of the rocker lever 31 and fastened at its opposite end to the upper end of the long arm 40 of a bell crank actuating lever 42, pivotally mounted on the support 1, as shown at 43, the other or short arm 44- of said lever being bent at an angle and coupled by a link or connecting rod 45 with a vertically movable treadle or foot lever 16, whereby the parts of the valve mechanism may be moved against the resistance of the spring to shift the valves from filling position to cut-off and discharge positions The normal position of the valves is illustrated in Fig. 3, from which it will be seen is open to permitthe 'cjoal from the hopper to flow down intothe. measuring'chamber 20, and that the valve 19 is closed to cut-off the discharge of the ,coal from said chamber.

When the treadle is depressed, the actuating valve is operated to pull upon thechain 39 and thus move the rocker lever 31 to change the relative positions of the valves, the up-' per valve being moved inwardly to cut-0E position to separate the body of coal contained in the measuring chamber from the coal" lying above the same, while the valve 19 is opened for the discharge of the coal from the measuring chamber into the bag or receptacle 47, which issupportedby the operator in any suitable manner below the open end of the nozzle so, as to be entirely filled with its charge on a single discharge motion of the filling mechanism; It will be observed that as the treadle is connected with the short arm'of' the bell crank lever, a comparatively short range of motion of the treadle is all that is necessary to actuate the valves, thus enabling the operator to work the treadle motion and consequently with less labor and fatigue. It will be understood that by quickly operating the valves the valve 17 may be closed at 'or about the time the valve 19 is open, so that'a reasonably accurate measure may be obtained.

It will be observed that the construction I of the nozzle and valve mechanism is such as to provide a very sinjple, and reliable and eflicient, type of controlling valve mecha: nism, which will positively control the coal on its filling and discharge motionsand in- 'sure the dispensing of a measured amount of coal each time to a bag or receptacle disposed in receiving position below the nozzle. Further, it will be seen that the nozzle may be adjusted to vary the size of the measuring chamber to overcome any errors which may exist, and the working parts'of the valve mechanism are adjustable to conform thereto, thus regulated motion of the valves at all times.

I claim z- Y I A bag filling apparatus including a hopper having a discharge outlet, a nozzle detachably connected with the outlet, said nozzle being prqvided with a pair of superposed guideways, valve plates movable in said 'guideways across the bore of the nozzle, a

support carried by the nozzle, a rocker lever pivotally mounted on said support and having a long arm and disposed coupling members upon the-valve plate disposed at reverse'angles to 'eachother and slidably and pivotally connected with the respective long and short arms of the rocker lever, a bell crank actuating lever having a long arm and a short arm, a flexible lever With less degree of foot =1 providing for the easy and a short arm, angularly.

connection between the long arm of said lever and the long arm of the roclier lever, said connection being at an intermediate point in guided connection with the nozzle, :1 contractile spring connecting the nozzle with the short arm of the rocker lever adjacent to the pivot point thereof, and operating means connected with the short arm of the bell-crank actuating lever for move ing the parts in opposition to the spring,

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of'two Witnesses.

JOHN W. HOVARD. Witnesses I HUGH F. HENRY,

RICHARD H. EASTWARD. 

